Colts Poach 49ers Defender After Buckner Trade

The Indianapolis Colts have signed veteran defensive tackle Kevin Givens off of the San Francisco 49ers’ practice squad.

Givens (6'1", 285, 29 years old) is a former undrafted free agent who spent all eight years of his NFL career with the 49ers prior to signing with the Colts. He appeared in one game this season, logging two tackles and a quarterback hit in 19 defensive snaps. 

In his time in the league, Givens has amassed 94 total tackles, 18.0 tackles for a loss, and 8.0 sacks, but his playtime has dipped severely in recent years. He appeared in a career-high 17 games back in 2023, but has played in just 14 games since then.

The Colts had a roster spot opened up on the roster due to the DeForest Buckner trade, so they opted to fill that with the same position group. Givens is a bit on the smaller side, so he likely projects more as a backup to Adetomiwa Adebawore than as a main competitor for the other defensive tackles on the roster. 

Givens is a hard worker who earned a spot in the NFL as an undrafted free agent back in 2019. He has a surprising amount of power in his hands despite a smaller frame, and has some pocket-collapsing ability as a pass rusher. He is at his best as a gap shooter, but is also capable of operating within a read-and-react system that Colts defensive coordinator Lou Anarumo likes to deploy.

Givens also offers some lineup versatility, taking snaps inside as a 1-technique and even outside as a 5-technique on occasion.

He should see the bulk of his work on run downs for the Colts, but there is an avenue for some pass-down work with Buckner traded. The Colts don’t really have a pass-rushing running mate for Adebawore inside, so Givens could have a shot at competing for that role in the coming weeks. 

The Colts will now get an extended look at the 29-year-old defensive tackle in the final 10 games of the regular season. The team is building for the future right now, so every game is an audition for 2027 and beyond. If Givens can prove to be a valuable backup to Adebawore for the rest of the season, he could be rewarded with a new contract and a new home in Indianapolis long-term. 

If the Colts ultimately move on from Grover Stewart in the coming weeks, that could even lead to more snaps for Givens going forward. Overall, this is a great opportunity for the former undrafted free agent to plant his roots in Indianapolis for the next phase of this rebuild.